Are you a photography masochist?

Huss · Jul 13, 2022

You're looking at your AF slr. Great lens. Always gives sharp, perfectly exposed pics. Always gives you the results you want. And yet you pick up that manual everything, no meter, maybe even guess focus relic..
Why do you do that to yourself?
Guilty as charged.

awty · Jul 13, 2022

Because I like to be in control of the camera and I happen to prefer slightly out of focus under exposed or overexposed pictures

Thesecondone · Jul 13, 2022

i like to say i did it all myself

Sirius Glass · Jul 14, 2022

If I want to be a photography masochist I take out my 4"x5" cameras.

What did masochist say to the sadist?

Beat me! Beat me!

What did the sadist say back?

Maybe ...

MattKing · Jul 14, 2022

I must be.
I'm a volunteer moderator here.

Huss · Jul 14, 2022

MattKing said:
I must be.
I'm a volunteer moderator here.

Thank you for keeping the riff raff in check.

Huss · Jul 14, 2022

awty said:
Because I like to be in control of the camera and I happen to prefer slightly out of focus under exposed or overexposed pictures

You got a problem with camera shake?

mshchem · Jul 14, 2022

Huss said:
You're looking at your AF slr. Great lens. Always gives sharp, perfectly exposed pics. Always gives you the results you want. And yet you pick up that manual everything, no meter, maybe even guess focus relic..
Why do you do that to yourself?
Guilty as charged.

I agree. Black and white and a totally mechanical camera, I've been shooting with an old Leica last couple of weeks.

I love autofocus too.

KerrKid · Jul 14, 2022

The older camera has more character than the new flawless camera. Like the 1970 Triumph Bonneville I had. That bike turned me into a mechanic, but I loved it anyway.

I really like my old heavy solid metal cameras, too, and I admit to being smitten with the 60's Rangefinders lately.

gone · Jul 14, 2022

I had an early Triumph single cylinder. Think it was a 250cc. It had Whitworth threads, and the point gap had to be set w/ the engine running. Positive ground electrics by Lucas, the Prince of Darkness.

Oh yeah, the shift and brake controls were reversed from the Japanese bikes. That was fun if you accidentally forgot about it. I loved that bike, it looked and sounded like a motorcycle should.

awty · Jul 14, 2022

Huss said:
You got a problem with camera shake?

No problem, we prefer to call it ICM.

VinceInMT · Jul 14, 2022

KerrKid said:
The older camera has more character than the new flawless camera. Like the 1970 Triumph Bonneville I had. That bike turned me into a mechanic, but I loved it anyway.

I really like my old heavy solid metal cameras, too, and I admit to being smitten with the 60's Rangefinders lately.

Very true about those Triumphs. I haven’t had one but continue to lust after them anyway. In the meantime, I drive ‘65 Triumph TR4 which does make one wonder if we like them to drive or like having something to work on. Based on what I’ve learned with that, my guess is a British-made point and shoot camera would have about 600 parts and several levers that don’t do anything.

guangong · Jul 14, 2022

From the digital cameras with lenses that I see being carried around, most seem to be very bulky chunks of plastic (although high quality plastic). Not only are manual cameras usually much more compact, but there is a certain aesthetic tactile pleasure handling a well engineered solidly constructed camera...much like holding a mechanical watch and certain firearms. Think Hasselblad, Nikon, Canon...even some fixed lens cameras are works of art. Also, since I began with do-it-yourself photography, saw no need to change. Right now my walking around cameras are a Leica IIIa and a Contax 2a. The computer is in my head.

Disappointed_Horse · Jul 14, 2022

If I want easy, I just use my iPhone. When I want to enjoy photographing and make an image without multiple computers interpreting what I'm seeing, I'll take an all-mechanical camera.

faberryman · Jul 14, 2022

AAlfano said:
If I want easy, I just use my iPhone. When I want to enjoy photographing and make an image without multiple computers interpreting what I'm seeing, I'll take an all-mechanical camera.

guangong said:
Also, since I began with do-it-yourself photography, saw no need to change. Right now my walking around cameras are a Leica IIIa and a Contax 2a. The computer is in my head.

You guys are really roughing it with those sophisticated precision tools. Henry Fox Talbot is laughing in his hat.

VinceInMT said:
In the meantime, I drive ‘65 Triumph TR4 which does make one wonder if we like them to drive or like having something to work on.

Not only that but you drove all the way to the grocery store in a car with a manual transmission.

Oh for the days when men were men...

Dali · Jul 14, 2022

Huss said:
You're looking at your AF slr. Great lens. Always gives sharp, perfectly exposed pics. Always gives you the results you want. And yet you pick up that manual everything, no meter, maybe even guess focus relic..
Why do you do that to yourself?
Guilty as charged.

Because perfection is boring.

Tel · Jul 14, 2022

awty said:
Because I like to be in control of the camera and I happen to prefer slightly out of focus under exposed or overexposed pictures

What he said. (I never owned an AF SLR. If I want easy, I take a nap.)

Paul Howell · Jul 14, 2022

I like to use AF and all manual, the AF when I'm shooting sports or wildlife, a point and shoot when just walking about. Other time I like to think about all aspects of shooting, figuring out exposure, manual focus.

grat · Jul 14, 2022

faberryman said:
Not only that but you drove all the way to the grocery store in a car with a manual transmission.

I still drive a manual transmission. It's about the only thing in the car that isn't managed by a computer.

VinceInMT · Jul 14, 2022

faberryman said:
Not only that but you drove all the way to the grocery store in a car with a manual transmission.

Oh for the days when men were men...

I consider the manual transmission and the necessity of pulling the choke to start it, two forms of a built-in security system. My ‘59 Volvo has the same system.

snusmumriken · Jul 14, 2022

momus said:
I had an early Triumph single cylinder. Think it was a 250cc. It had Whitworth threads, and the point gap had to be set w/ the engine running.

I only tried that once in my life, on a car. Bloody thing ate my feeler gauge.

nosmok · Jul 14, 2022

I'm getting rid of the rest of my film cameras that take batteries, the exceptions being Olympus XA and XA4 (too many good shots with the XA, and I like the macro and 28mm on the XA4). I haven't used a light meter, even on 8x10, in years. BUT, it'll be a cold day in hell before I everyday-drive a manual transmission car again... too much work for no reward when you live in a big city (one example from 2001: coming up out of a 5 level underground parking garage spiral, in a continuous line of bumper-to-bumper cars, in a stall-prone 1967 Datsun wagon with 4 on the floor ). If I were in the mountains or something, maybe...

Paul Howell · Jul 14, 2022

Auto transmissions get as good or better mileage than a manual transmission.

VinceInMT · Jul 14, 2022

Maybe I am a photographic masochist. I just ordered a cartridge and a roll of film for my dad's old Minolta 16P in order to bring it back to life.

xkaes · Jul 14, 2022

Where did you find the Minolta cartridge and film? FFP?

Are you a photography masochist?

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